Visiting the Hot Springs in Japan: Okuhida Garden Hotel

View from our hotel window

The last stop on our Japan trip was a stay in a hot springs hotel. This is a uniquely Japanese concept as far as I know. A hotel is built next to/around a natural hot springs, so that guests can freely bathe in the waters, which in addition to being relaxing is supposed to have various health benefits. We stayed at a very traditional hot springs hotel on our last trip, and had such a good time we wanted to repeat the experience.

Surroundings of the hotel

However, where we stayed previously was 1. very far away from where we were traveling and 2. more importantly, fully booked up for the dates we wanted (the downside of traveling during Japan's biggest holiday season). Instead, we stayed near Takayama at the Okuhida Garden Hotel. While accessible by public transportation (a local bus runs directly to the hotel, albeit not very frequently), it is in a remote and beautiful location.

B and R in the room: at night the table is put away and bedding is placed on the floor

 The rooms were very comfortable and spacious. The best part of the hotel, though, were the hot spring baths, of which there was an entire complex, with baths for every taste: single sex baths, mixed sex baths (meaning we could go together as a family), indoor baths, outdoor baths, saunas, cold baths, warm baths, hot baths...With nine different baths, it was easy to spend a long time playing in the water. R loved it.

Beyond the hotel and hot springs, there isn't much in the immediate vicinity. One exception is the Shinhodaka Ropeway, the longest ropeway in Asia at 200 meters. It takes you up in two stages to a truly splendid viewing platform, where you can admire the scenery of the Japanese Alps. Taking the double decker gondola (the only one in Japan) was pretty fun too.

Shirakawa-go

While Takayama is a charming town, we visited it this time primarily as a gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go.

Here's what UNESCO has to say:
 Located in a mountainous region that was cut off from the rest of the world for a long period of time, these villages with their Gassho-style houses subsisted on the cultivation of mulberry trees and the rearing of silkworms. The large houses with their steeply pitched thatched roofs are the only examples of their kind in Japan. Despite economic upheavals, the villages of Ogimachi, Ainokura and Suganuma are outstanding examples of a traditional way of life perfectly adapted to the environment and people's social and economic circumstances.

Basically, though, the houses are just darling. B and I both felt that the site got UNESCO status primarily because it was so cute. The setting is pretty beautiful too, though: the main village is surrounded by lovely mountains. The main point of access for visitors is on foot, crossing a long bridge spanning the nearby river.

Bridge to Shirakawa-go

R and B on the bridge

It had snowed heavily the day before, so we got to see the houses in their native element: their design is primarily a response to the winter conditions of the region, where snowfall can easily top 32 feet annually (or over 415 inches), with two meter high snowbanks developing. The snow may be a nuisance (Japan's government gives subsidies to areas with extremely heavy snowfall to help them with snow removal, etc.) but it also looks magical.

The Village

Buddhist temple entryway covered in snow

 

 The houses are quite interesting architecturally. They were built primarily without nails, metal being too expensive, and are held together with rope lashings as seen in the picture below. As the area was a silk producing region, the houses are designed in multiple stories: the lower for living quarters, and the open upper stories for storage and silkworm areas (the rising heat would provide the high temperatures silkworms need to thrive).

Shirakawa-go is a bit of a victim of its own charm, though, being heavily touristed and occasionally full of tour groups. To experience the same buildings in a less crowded environment, Takayama has a "folk village", where historic buildings from across the prefecture have been transported. It was almost deserted when we were there.

I still preferred seeing the buildings in their original environment, though. The crowds weren't terrible despite our visit on a holiday Saturday, and since most visitors come in a tour group, are fairly easily avoided.

One of the gassho-zukuri houses

Closeup of the thatched roof: it's easily two feet thick

Visiting Shirakawa-go, at least if using public transportation as we did, is an all day trip. The Hida Folk Village can be visited in a few hours (it's also accessible via bus). R was tired after our full day touring "ancient buildings" (what she calls them), but not too tired to request a present from the gift shop. It was Hello Kitty toy piano and here she is serenading us to her own accompaniment.

I love this little person.

Tradition in Takayama

After our time in Kanazawa, we headed several hours inland to the small mountain city of Takayama. The region is famous for its carpenters, and by extension its traditional architecture, of which a fair amount remains.

The highlight of our visit for me, though, was our stay in a traditional ryokan, or Japanese inn. I wrote about ryokans before, but basically you stay in a Japanese-style room, sleeping on futons on top of tatami mats, which are put away during the day to give you extra space to relax/eat in. We stayed at Ryokan Asunaro, which was great in every way. They even gave us good-bye presents. R loved it so much she cried and threw a fit when it was time to leave (I think the winning touch for her was the provision of a selection of child-size indoor slippers). I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Takayama (the location is also great, within a short walk of the main town and train station).

Here are R and I in the inn-supplied robes, to be worn all around the inn (I think the idea is to help you relax, by being in more comfortable, different clothes: it works!). Below are some shots of our room, which included a traditional brazier (the only method of heating back in the days before central heat).

I liked the room decorations

Separate slippers to use in the toilet room

Takayama the town is quite charming too, especially when covered with fresh snow. B and I had actually visited before, back in 2010 on our "babymoon" trip, but it was just as attractive the second time around. I had a good time wandering the streets and admiring Shinto shrines, traditional merchants' houses and ancient sake breweries.

Street of traditional shops, no car traffic allowed

Shinto shrine near our hotel

Me on the traditional street

One of the ancient sake breweries (from as early as 1623)

The town is built along a river, which adds to its beauty. In general I have found the Japanese countryside to be more special and charming than the cities, and Takayama certainly adds to this impression. Definitely worth a visit!

Walking in Kanazawa's Winter Wonderland

It started snowing in the late afternoon of our first full day in Kanazawa, and continued more or less for the rest of our trip there. The difference was magical. 

Rather ordinary city (if startlingly clean, like all of Japan)...

becomes a winter wonderland with the snowfall.

 R experienced snow on our last trip to Japan, but since she was not yet two then, this was the first time in her memory. She loved it.

Making snowballs

Making snow angels

Our goofy snowman

I love the snow!

 I hate the cold (one of my favorite things about living in Singapore is that it is never ever cold here) but fresh snow is one of the most beautiful sights I know, and makes the cold completely worth it.

The castle mount covered in snow

 We were in Japan over the New Year, perhaps their biggest holiday, which had some disadvantages (like that most museums and attractions were closed for at least part of the time). One advantage though was being able to see the Japanese celebrating by visiting the local Shinto shrine for good luck in the coming year. It was packed!

We visited Oyama Shrine, constructed in 1599.

The gate was designed by a Dutch architect

The shrine itself is quite traditional though

There was a festival atmosphere with little booths selling souvenirs and snacks of all kinds

R got a yogurt-covered banana

Some dogs visiting for good luck, in their dog stroller (very common in Japan)

The grounds of the shrine were beautiful

 Later we toured some of the sections of Kanazawa where the traditional architecture is preserved (it was the second largest city to escape World War II air raids, so quite a bit remains).

 

Traditional houses are mostly low and wooden, each surrounded by strong walls (which in winter are wrapped in straw as a protection measure) and guarded by a large gate. I wonder if this was a crime protection measure?

We visited several of the houses which are open to the public (others are still lived in and therefore are private residences). The interiors are beautiful if spartan. And cold! especially because like in all Japanese houses, one must remove one's footwear.

It is incredible to me that in such a climate houses were traditionally built of the flimsiest materials (thin wood and paper, for the windows) and heating was only provided by a single not-very-large fire. The ancient Japanese must have been very hardy.